INVESTIGATION ONGOING
Then-Sheriff Maketa was the target of complaints from o∞ce commanders.
The investigation into former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa has been referred to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
colorado springs» The investigation into former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa has been referred to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which could prosecute if criminal charges are brought against Maketa, according to sources.
The office is the latest agency involved in an ongoing probe led by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on behalf of the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and with the assistance of the FBI and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. The 18th Judicial District covers Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties.
A spokeswoman for the office declined to comment and directed questions to the CBI. A CBI spokeswoman also declined to comment, citing the active investigation.
El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder, who succeeded Maketa, said it was his understanding that the case was referred to the 18th Judicial DA’s office but he did not have further details.
A separate district attorney’s office was expected to aid in the investigation because of a possible conflict of interest with the 4th Judicial DA’s office, but it was not known which one was called upon. A spokeswoman for the 4th Judicial office also referred all questions to the CBI.
George Brauchler, the district attorney for the 18th district, is prosecuting the Aurora theater shooting case.
The CBI began investigating Maketa after 4th Judicial DA Dan May requested assistance in reviewing information regarding the former sheriff in June 2014.
The request came after complaints were filed by three sheriff’s office commanders in May 2014 with El Paso County and the federal Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission. Maketa was accused of sexual impropriety, discrimination, removing almost all oversight of the sheriff ’s office annual budget and creating a hostile work environment.
County commissioners launched an investigation the day after the complaints were filed, and later that month asked Maketa to resign and gave him a vote of no confidence.
In total, nine notices of complaints for $3.9 million were sent to the county in addition to three complaints filed with the EEOC.
In May, county commissioners agreed to pay more than $200,000 to settle two claims against the former sheriff. The claims, filed in March 2014 and May 2014 by then-Sgts. Emory Gerhart and Charles Kull, were brought against Maketa, thenUndersheriff Paula Presley, the sheriff ’s office and El Paso County.
The agreements for monetary damages: $120,000 for Kull and $87,920 for Gerhart.
The other claims against the county have not been settled.
While Maketa apologized to sheriff ’s office employees in a May 31, 2014, video saying he engaged in inappropriate behavior, he did not resign until Dec. 31, shortly before his third and final term ended.
Elder, who ran unopposed in the November election, started as interim sheriff Jan. 1 and was officially sworn in Jan. 13.
Before leaving office, Maketa was found to have mishandled internal affairs investigations along with Presley, according to an investigation into employee-related complaints conducted for the county by Sherman & Howard and the Mountain States Employers Council.
He also had inappropriate relationships with three female subordinates resulting in special treatment and offered an endorsement to a candidate for sheriff in exchange for personal favors, the investigation found.
Results from the employee-related probe and a separate financial investigation by the accounting firm RubinBrown were sent to the CBI as part of the agency’s investigation. The county paid more than $247,000 in fees for the investigations and more than $179,000 for the three commanders put on paid leave.
Elder reinstated the commanders on Jan. 1.